Antiskid device



lJuly 8, 1930. E MCKENNEY ET AL 1,770,040

ANTISKID DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 15, 192'?,V

Patented July 8, 1930 STATES PATENT o-F'Fici;

EMERSON Mcxfrznivnnlvn HARRYIMCKNNEY, QEQWEF'IE'IIM itks'saoniisnirs", Alsi- MAIN'E sien-onsk To McKENNEY C'H'AIN oo., or P'RT'LAN'D, MAINE, A ooitronazfoiv or ANTISKD nnvcn i Appiit'ibn"ieananilary' 1:5, 1927s'eria1 Nit; 161,315; Renewed: November' 5, 1929i 'Thev invention relates' to-` an anti-skid device adapted' foruse With the rubber tire of a motor-vehicle Wheeland with the usual annular side chains vat opposite sides ofthe s tire.

The invention'is'-embodiedy in part in an anti-skid dev-ice com'prisinga central link formed to extend across ,the-tread' vportion of the tire and having an inner face conforming to said portion, and a calk-narrower than the link and projecting from the-outer face thereof, and coupling; links connecting the opposite-ends of the link With adjacent links of the side'chains, in such manner as' to prevent tipping of the link and ca'lk relative to the tire tread,l and'- maintain the calk firmly in its operativeposition.' l

rPhe invention is embodied-also in certain improvements inthe construction of the central link and the calkl whereby the calk isseparably attached-to the' link in suchmanner y as to preventliability of accidental separation; y

Ofy the accompanyingA drawings forming a-partfof tliisspecificati'on,'-

Figure 1 includes a transverse section of a portion of -an elastic tire, and shows in longitudinal-section an anti-skid device'embodye ing the invention, including but one element,

composed' of a shoe and a'calk'.V

F igure2is'a planview ofthecentral link shown by Figure 1,y looking toward the inner side. Y

Figure 3 is a section on`A line 3+?) of Fig- 85 ure 2.

Figure-4 is anedge'view of-the calk shown by Figure 2, looking toward thel inner edge.

Figure is asection on line-e-'ofFigure 4.' y n Figure 'shows in section the central link and calk assembled Without the locking `key hereinafterdescribed.` n

F igure 7 Vis a-'vievvV similar to'Figure- 8, showing the locking key applied;VVV

Figure 8 shows in perspective vone of the two coupling links shown by Figure 1,1connectingthe central-linkwith the usual side chains at opposite sides of' the'tire.

Figure 9 is'a fragmentary Vside view, showing a portion of a wheel' fellyz, a-portionof an elasticf tire thereon,- and an anti-skid device including a I plurality ofi elements? each com-- posed'l of'a centrallink and a' calk. i

Figure 102 is a" fragmentaryv sectionon line 1(1)-10 of Figure 9,and showsaiballoon 555 l'JlIG.' y Y Figure 1v1 is al side View', showing'two of the-elements-shown by Figures@ and 10;.lookingtow'ard the outerfaces of'saidelernents *igure 12 is a section online-124112; ofFig.- 60 ure 11.-- o A Figure 13 is a section on line 13413015 Figurel 11. j

` Figures 14* and 15" show in1 perspective coupling linkshavingrr certain distinguishing details hereinafter de'scribedv Figure 16'is aperspective- View of one of the'calks Figure 17 isa fragmentary'v section -similar to Figure 10, and showing a modification. n Figure 18 shows-'inlperspectiveamodied form` of side Chain-engaging coupling'link;

Thesame reference characters indicate the Same parts vin all-of the igiures.V

Our improved anti-skid device in eludesa 75 central elenient comprising a central linkvQO', having aninner face formed-to b'ear onthe tread'v portion ofV an elastic tiref21', anda calk 22 projecting from the outer faceofftheflink and having a' shank 23, insertedin aslot 24, et in: the link.y '.llhe'link and shank are pro'- vvided -vvith interlocking'inembers atY onevend v of the slot,- separably securing one endpoition of the calk to the link. Said members are preferably embodied in an yundercutend S5 face 251 (Figure 5) ,forming oneend"A of t'he shan-k- 23', fandAl a' correspondingly formed end face 26l (Figure 31),-for1ning an end-Wallvof the slotif Tliefshank is adapted tobe moved obliquely linto the slot and thus cause the inn terlocking of'saidfaces as shown by Figures Gand 7, theshank closely fitting the slotl.y

The central-elenientincludes also a lockingfkey 27, :(Fi'gur'es 1 a-nd 7) securing the opposite endlof the calk to the central link, saidkey being preferably a4 rivet, inserted in anotherslotl 28* (Figure 3),forrrled1in the link. Theendportion of the calk engaged by the key is preferably'formed-by' a-l tongue 30, adapted to enterfthe slot and only partly 199 Y hooks.

fill the latter, so that a key-securing space 31 (Figure 6) is left in the slot in which the keyy is insertible. The key has a head 32 at one end, overlapping inner surface'portions of the link and tongue, and a head 33 at'its opposite end formed by upsetting the rivet after its insertion in the space 31, the head 33 overlapping outer surface portions of theKV link and key, as shown by Figure 7. Pro-V vision isthus madefor'frigidly securing the4 In the preferred embodiment ofthe inven tion shown by Figures 1 to 7, the central linky is adapted to extend across and conform to the tread portion of the tire, and is providedat'each end with a pair of, spaced apart lcoupling hooks 35, formedvby bending relatively thin end portions of the link. With the hooks 35 are engaged two coupling links 36 (Figure 8), adapted to connect the link with the usual side chains 37. Each link coupling includesaplate, adapted to bear on side portions of the tire `and is provided with spaced apart slots 38, at its inner end,

engagedwith the hooks 35,'and spaced apart hooks 39, at its outer end adapted to engage two adjacent links of a side chain. g The coupling links 36, therefore haveV elongated bearingson the side chains, and the ends of the central'linkhave elongated bearings on the coupling links, these bearings maintaining thecentral link substantially at right angles withfthe tire tread, preventing the link vfrom` rolling or tipping on theY tread. Each coupling link 36 includes also a pair of connected spring. tongues 40, fixed at 40"" to the link, and bearing yeldingly on the chainengaging hooks 39. Each coupling link therefore lconstitutesin eect, a pair of snap .In the embodiment shown by Figures 9, 10' and 1l, the anti-skid device includes in addition to thecentral element, composed of Y the central link '20.and calk. 22, connected as above described, `and adapted to bear on the tread portion of the tire, enduelements adapted to bear onside portions of the tire, as shown 'by Figure A10. In this embodiment, which is suitable for balloon tires, the central link ,20 and calk 22 may be considerably elongated, and the link may be pr0- vided with a cross-bar 20aoccupying a notch `22"a in the vshank portion of Vthe calk to theA elon-` strengthen the `connection between gated calk and the link.

The endelements include links 42, hinged to the opposite ends of the central link, and calks 44 engaged with the links 42 in the saine way that the calk 22 is engaged with the shoe 20, shown by' Figures 1 to 7. The calk 22 of the central link extending crosswise of the tread, is adapted to resist longitudinal skidding. The calks 44 of the end links extend substantially at right angles with the calk 22 and lengthwise of the side port-ion of the tire, so that they are adapted to resist side skidding,particularly when they are associated with a balloon tire, which may be'understood to be the type of tire shown by Figure 10. `The not uncommon flattening of thetread portion of a balloon tire, causes a displacement of the calks 44, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 10,Y so that these calks resistside-skidding.

The link 20,.may beprovided at one end with spaced apart trunnions 46 (Figure 14), adapted to engage hooks 47 on one of the links 42, and at its opposite end with hooks 48, adapted to engage trunnions on the other link 42.

Figure 15 shows a modified form of the link 20, the outer face of the shoe being provided .with projecting ribs 49, having slots 49? kand formingthickened portions oi' the link, adapted by the slots to aid in resisting sideskidding. j 1 j l The central element bearingy on the tread portion of the tire may be composed of two sections hingedrtogether at 42, as shown by Figure 17, Aeach section including a link and a calkl. "This modification may be used-with atruck tire designated by 21EL in Figure, 17, Q e

Figure 18 shows a diiterent form of chainengaging. link, composed-of va sheet metal plate, bent to form two arms 50 and 51, and a neck 52connecting the armsf The plate is provided-with spaced apart slots 53, adjacent` the neck and adapted to receive the hooks 3501i the link 20. vThe outer ends of the arms have spaced aparthooks 54 and 55, adapted to engage the two sidestretches of two adjacent links oi' a sidechain 37, so that the stress of the antiskid device on the chain isfdistributedand borne equally by the two side stretches. The side chains may vtherefore be made of smaller wire and add less weight to the wheel. 1

` A calk constructed asg-,shown and described, may bev marketed as an article of manufacture, the construction of the calk and ot the locking key 27 being such that the owner oi Vtheiniproved anti-skid devicemay readily outer aceof the link midway` between the necting the opposite ends of the link with the side chains 37.

It will be seen that the end portions of the central link are provided with transverse hinge members, formed, for example, by the spaced apart hooks 35 (Figures 1, 2 and 3). The coupling links shown by Figures 1 and 8, and other figures, are provided with complemental hinge members at their inner ends, formed, for example, by the slots 38 (Figure 8) and engaged With the hinge members on the central link to form therewith elongated hinges which extend across the central link ends. The spaced apart hooks 39, formed on the outer ends of the coupling links and engageable With adjacent links of the side chains 37, have elongated bearings on the side chains, and the hinge members on the inner ends of the coupling links have correspondingly elongated bearings on the hinge members of the central link ends. Said elongated bearings cause the central link to bear irmly on the tire tread without being tipped by the leverage exerted by the calks thereon, when the outer edges of the calks strike the ground.

We claim:

For use with a rubber-tired vehicle wheel and annular side chains at opposite sides of the tire thereof, an anti-skid device comprising a central link formed to extend across the tread portion of the tire, and having an inner face conforming to said portion, and a calk narrower than'the link and projecting from the outer face thereof midway between the longitudinal edges of the link, so that the cross section of the link and calk is T-shaped, the calk extending lengthwise of the link, and means for connecting the opposite ends of the central link with adjacent links of the side chains, to prevent tipping of the link and calk on the tire tread, said means including transverse hinge members formed on opposite ends of the central link and coupling links having complemental hinge members at their inner ends engaged with the central link hinge members and forming therewith ,elongated hinges which extend across the central link ends, the coupling links being provided at their outer ends with spaced portions of the central link, and confine the central link and calk against tipping move ments relative to the tire tread.

In testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures.

EMERSON MCKENNEY. HARRY MCKENNEY.

apart hooks engageable with adjacent links Y of the side chains, the arrangement being such that the coupling links have elongated bearings on the side chains, and on the end 

